Athletes have a host of footwear choices for WODs. Richard Grimes surveys experts and top athletes to determine what their advice means in a GPP fitness program.

I remember the first time I thought about the importance of shoes in CrossFit.

I was in my garage looking for my shoes so that I could work out. I had been looking for 20 minutes already and I was itching to get started on my box jumps. When I couldn’t find the shoes, I decided that I was just making excuses, so I walked up to the box, planted my socked feet and started jumping. I performed exactly three perfect box jumps. On the fourth jump, my socks slid like butter on a hot skillet and I fell backward and ended up in a position my less polite friends call the “Hucklebuck.”

While I was in the air, though, I could see both of my huge, gorilla-like feet with the ceiling just beyond them. I remember my thought at that exact moment: “Maybe I should have worn shoes.”

So when the CrossFit Journal asked me to survey people about what shoes they wear when they CrossFit, it seemed like a slam dunk. But look around the gym lately and you’ll see people exercising barefoot or in lifting shoes, runners or Chuck Taylors. Even Nike, the biggest athletic-shoe company in the world, is selling a shoe called the Nike Free for people “who want to reap the benefits of barefoot training.” Some CrossFitters are even wearing Vibram Fivefingers.

What are you wearing—and why?

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VFF KSO or Chuck Ts for WOD. Occasional runs under 2-3 miles can be done in VFFs and/or barefoot on a grass playing field or golf course, though jumping rope barefooted or in VFFs accomplishes the same lower chain strengthening. CFE workouts in Nike Frees or racing flats- there is a lot to be said about running in a minimalist shoe. Inov-8 230s are also in the rotation. Caveat, I having run since I was 10 (25 years, mostly seriously) I would seriously caution jumping right into VFFs. Slow progression is key to preventing achilles and calf injuries. Quick TTP: we used to have the high school XC teams run in racing flats for warm up runs (1 mile) to get the lower body used to running in less padding. We would gradually work up to having them run speed workouts in racing shoes or spikes.

VFF Sprints. I used to rotate my Sambas in, but now the Sprints get all the action.

@ Derrick - why Vibrams, and not barefoot? Try a pair on and walk outside, and you'll understand immediately. You feel the ground (temperature, texture) but without any fear of stepping on glass or sharp rocks; it's a feeling you have to try to understand. If I walk on gravel barefoot, it's a slow, ungainly, painful process. But if I walk across gravel in my VFFs, it's smooth sailing.

So, if you were only training in a box, with rubberized flooring and no danger of glass/bee stings/rocks/etc., barefoot is fine. Take one step outside, though, and VFF's are like a golden ticket.

Most competition wushu shoes have a thicker "bubble" in the middle of the sole (running vertically down the center of the shoe by length) to help wushu athletes keep ultra-low stances. I find it disruptive for most activities, including non-wushu MA practice.

I used to alternate between an ancient pair of Chucks and old workboots for lifting, but now I lift in VFFs and Do-Wins, depending on the workout.

For MA, I like wrestling shoes. I have small feet, so I can buy boys' shoes for less than half the price of women's wrestling or MA shoes.

For misc. workouts (or an "all of the above" situation), the VFFs.

For everyday casual running around or when I'm not sure what I'll get into that day, Vivos. They're A) really cute and B) a good all-purpose shoe. The soles curve up at the toe and heel--nice for walking and running, but less than ideal for some kinds of MA, though not debilitating or anything. They're also silly expensive, but mine have been indestructible so far.

Great Article... There's a lot of science to explore. And I guess asking people their favorite shoe is like asking them their favorite car. Personally I lean toward the clean organic paleo way of things... I purchased the Vibram KSO's and while they were tough to get on I remembered thinking "Wow I actually have toes!". I've run in them and I felt like a kid - my back loves me and my calves are stronger. I do like the idea of Chucks for Olympic days and heavy iron.... Bottom line I don't want to cheat my God given structure. Feet are incredibly complex and amazing when you look at their kineseology.... Didn't the first Olympians participate in the buff?

Personally I really like the idea of running barefoot. Unfortunately my left leg is about one centimeter shorter than my right leg. This forces me to to wear insoles. I don't know if any of you are familiar with orthopaedic insoles for this kind of problem. They are only elevated at the heel, even the ones for sports. So if you don't land on your heels while running they sort of don't work.
Also they don't fit into any kind of shoe, like for example Vibrams.

The problem with the insoles does not only apply to running but also to lifting, as the insoles generally put my feet into a higher position which sort of undermines the stabilizing effect you get from flat shoes, as for example Chucks. Also the insoles are designed to "support" the foot in certain areas, like under the arch.
I feel like this is contraproductive. On the other hand I feel, like I need them because of my shorter left leg.
So I'm kind of in a tricky spot here.

Since then I have only worn Terra Plana's Vivo Barefoot (for both Crossfit and anytime I don't need to have on dress shoes for work). Up until last month I used the Aqua style which works for both running and lifting. The Evo line just came out and its great, more stability around the sides of the heel and ball, but still 100% flat/barefoot.

I'm working out in VFFs - all of the in gym stuff (classics) as well as road running (sprints) and trail running (KSO Treks). I have a history of ankle injuries from a bad high bar dismount in high school - I'd roll roll an ankle probably every other month when would try to run. Since transitioning to vffs, no rolled ankles, and I am actually beginning to enjoy running.

As far as using them for lifting, since there is no real padding, no extra foam to compress, so both olympic and power lifting, which I am new to, feel pretty natural.

I agree, except that my school has hex pattern flooring in the weight room. It really doesn't feel good doing squats, presses, deadlifts, or anything else with heavy weights barefoot on flooring that will dig into your feet. VFFs help with that.

Also, I like walking barefoot in general, so it's nice to have VFFs and not be kicked out of restaurants and shops that say 'no shoes, no shirt, no service' :)

I use the Vibram KSO for all of my workouts now, and wear Sprints for daily walk around shoes. My deadlift went up dramatically day one i started using them, and no more shin splints for me. Also made POSE running way easier. All my clients wear them now.

I feel shoes are important and I don't feel comfortable in bare feet. I use a great flat soccer shoe that is made by addias and I am female and bought a pair of boys soccer shoes. They give support and when I lift they keep my feet flat on the ground.

Asics Ontisuka Tiger Fencing LAs are my official footwear. I've had them for 2 years now and do everything in them. I just got a pair of the Vibram KSOs and they are pretty sweet as well. I am starting to use them more now that it isn't snowing out and can't wait to do a 5k in them.

Vibram sprints or high top chucks for everything except WODs with running, then I wear ASICS or Saucony.
I used to just use my retired running shoes to workout but found the thin soles of chucks and the Vibrams dot get in the way. When I cant find them (for whatever reason), I go barefoot.

I wear Vibram FiveFingers (Sprints, Classics or Flows, depending on the weather). I feel much more confident doing box jumps in VFFs than in traditional running shoes, especially since I broke my wrist more than a year ago during a failed burpee box jump (wearing biq, squishy traditional running shoes). Now I know exactly where my feet are; proprioception is a great thing. :)

Just got a pair of Asics Dirt Dogs; they are a cross country racing spike that you can take the spikes out of. They are very minimal and i picked them up off Eastbay for $20. Helps keep my off my heels and when running, enough protection for out doors, and work fine for lifting. Spending a lot of money on minimal footwear seems recidulous but Im sure all companies will start charging more and more for less.

I wear my Five fingers or Chucks for any WOD that has no running or box jumps, as my ankles and knees take the load. In which case I just wear my Asics running shoes. I find that Five fingers are great to run with on a track but on the street, they are torture for the feet.

Hi Nico I also have a leg length discreptancy. But mine is of 2.5cm. It's a pain in the ass and each pair of shoes/trainers requires a different solution.

With hi-top chuck taylors I can fit all the lift inside. Other solutions involve both a partial lift on the sole (by a cobbler) and an orthotic inside - which I make myself. Be wary of podiatrists. I have been quoted £300 for a pair of orthotic inserts which I could tell would be useless. I make my own out of UVA plastic chopping boards from IKEA! It took ages to get the right density and flexibility but now I just add or take away depending on the shoe. The material needs to be dense enough not to compress under your weight but also flexible enough to bend with your foot. Here is a WFS link:

I've been looking at vibrams and can't see a solution for them. The toes in particular make the lift troublesome. The velcro fastening is a major plus point though; allowing lifts to be inserted easier than laces. I was looking at weight lifting shoes but the last thing I want is more sole when im adding 2.5cm/ 1 inch to the right side anyway. I think there is no perfect answer in our case. However making a lift of 1 cm should be far easier than my lift. So the tip of the day is - plastic chopping boards!!

I hope this helps you. I'm not a doctor/podiatrist etc but I've had to put up with the same problem for 37 years.

anyone else using Karhu-race ride's? I have now had Inov8-230's and the Karhu's and I like running in the Karhu's better (on the hills) as I have slightly limited forward mobility in my (left ankle) from a motorcycle injury that gets inflamed on steep uphill runs? The Karhu's are more flexible especially the top fabric of the forefoot toe box.
Comments?

I allways train barefoot just becose i think it's better, more natural, i don't need to pay anything, you allways barefoot on the judomat and it was that way i was born, just sound good in my ears and it feel very good to done it for years now :)

The CrossFit Journal is a chronicle of the empirically driven, clinically tested, and community developed CrossFit program. Our mission is to provide a venue for contributing coaches, trainers, athletes, and researchers to ponder, study, debate, and define fitness and collectively advance the art and science of optimizing human performance.